The mayor said it makes sense to add the veteran lawmaker to the statewide ticket as Gov. Pat Quinn's running mate because Turner came in second place in last month's Democratic primary election.

"Well, like anything else, there's only one winner for the lieutenant governor's position, and that's Turner, Art Turner, he won second," Daley said while talking with reporters after the City Council meeting at City Hall. "If you run for public office and the person drops out before the election or even after the election, the person who was second moves automatically up. If you forfeit a game, you win the game."

Turner finished second to Cohen among six candidates in the Feb. 2 primary. Cohen subsequently withdrew under pressure from Democratic leaders amid revelations that he has been accused of abusive behavior, falling behind on support payments, and having a relationship with a prostitute.

The 38-member Democratic State Central Committee gets to vote on a replacement for Cohen, and officials have discussed nominating a white candidate from downstate rather than Turner, who is black, in a bid to balance the ticket.

But Daley said Turner should move up.

"(Turner) put his name, his career on the line for the public good," the mayor said.

"Whether you voted for him or not, he came in second place," Daley added.

The state Democratic party also is taking online applications for the lieutenant governor spot. So far, more than 220 people have submitted their names, including Sheila Simon, the daughter of late former U.S. Sen. Paul Simon.

All 50 aldermen on the Chicago City Council had to file paperwork earlier this year detailing their outside income and gifts. The Tribune took that ethics paperwork and posted the information here for you to see. You can search by ward number or alderman's last name.

The Cook County Assessor's office has put together lists of projected median property tax bills for all suburban towns and city neighborhoods. We've posted them for you to get a look at who's paying more and who's paying less.

Past posts

Clout has a special meaning in Chicago, where it can be a noun, a verb or an adjective. This exercise of political influence in a uniquely Chicago style was chronicled in the Tribune cartoon "Clout Street" in the early 1980s. Clout Street, the blog, offers an inside look at the politics practiced from Chicago's City Hall to the Statehouse in Springfield, through the eyes of the Tribune's political and government reporters.